Share this Story

Lightning Medicine Cloud, Sacred White Buffalo, Killed and Skinned

UPDATE: The owners of the Lakota Ranch have released the following statement to Indian Country Today Media Network (the original news report follows it):

To my fellow Native Brothers and Sisters in Indian Country,

Lightning Medicine Cloud, a true spiritual blessing was born at the Lakota Ranch on May 12, 2011. He now has joined his earth father and our heavenly father, and Lightning's mother, Buffalo Woman, also went on to join her son one day after Lightning left the earth.

There is an internal investigation through Hunt County Sheriff and Homeland Security in process, and a $5,000 reward offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the premeditated crime deaths of Lightning Medicine Cloud and his mother, Buffalo Woman. Thus far, the investigation has concluded that neither were killed by natural causes.

The Greenville Scholarship Powwow scheduled for May 11-12, 2012 will proceed as planned, and will continue to celebrate the birth of a rare, non-albino, white, male buffalo who was brought in by God, but taken out by hands of evil people. We welcome one and all to join us for the Traditional Scholarship Powwow that Greenville has hosted for the past 18 years, held at the Lakota Ranch in Greenville, TX.

It has been a heartache as we mourn the death of Lightning Medicine Cloud and his mother, however his legacy will forever live on through the message he brought as "The Hope of All Nations". Lightning was brought in as a spiritual blessing from God and left by the hands of evil people. This premeditated crime will NOT go unsolved, and there will be closure for us all, and consequences for those who did it.

May you all rest in peace, dearest Gentle Ben, Lightning Medicine Cloud, and Buffalo Woman.

You will be missed very much, but NEVER forgotten. It has been our honor to have taken care of you and shared in your greatness.

Lightning Medicine Cloud, born May 12, 2011 on a stormy night at the Lakota Ranch in Greenville Texas, was a natural white buffalo—an extremely rare occurrence, happening an estimated once per ten million births. In June, a naming ceremony attracted over 2,000 visitors to the ranch, and a report on the proceedings cited beliefs held by some Lakota that the calf was the third white buffalo ever, and the first male in 150 years. Such a white buffalo is tied to the story of White Buffalo Calf Woman, and is the most sacred animal, perhaps the most sacred thing on the planet, to the Lakota people.

In March, the discovery that a ranch in Hunt, Texas offered the chance to kill a white buffalo for $13,500 sparked outrage in Indian country. A day after the news broke, the owner of the ranch told Indian Country Today Media Network that he would cease offering the white buffalo hunt. The buffalo being killed at that ranch and others, like those being born on a ranch in Bend, Oregon, are not naturally-occurring white buffalo—as an expert told ICTMN in March, knowledge of genetics has allowed modern breeders to engineer white bison.

The annual Greenville Scholarship Native American Powwow, which was traditionally held in late January, had been moved to the weekend of May 11-12 and called (perhaps unofficially) the First Annual Lightning Medicine Cloud Powwow in the buffalo calf's honor. The event's flyer is below:

Lightning Medicine Cloud Powwow Flyer

You need to be logged in in order to post commentsPlease use the log in option at the bottom of this page

OMG, I feel like one of my children have been murdered. What a waste and what a slap in the face of Natives. I hope SOMEONE finds this jerk and does to him what he did to this beautiful calf and mom. Absolutely sickening

This article starts with the slain mother and calf and then goes on to promote the Pow Wow - am I the only one concerned about the death of these two? Moreover, what about this genetic alteration business - the White Buffalo is sacred by the hands of the creator, not some scientist in a lab somewhere. I am at a loss of words.

I am truly saddened and upset over what has happened to Lightning Medicine Cloud and Buffalo Woman. I am also angered that I have fellow human beings that are such scum bags that they would go and not only do this to two animals but to two sacred animals. I have been following along through Facebook from when Lightning Medicine Cloud was born. I am also part Native American and this just really has hurt me. I am in tears as I type this. I hope the evil person(s) are found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

This is the most heartbreaking thing I have come across; which explains why I have been feeling so depressed and sensing great sorrow upon our land and great saddeness in the Sacred Realm Too...
This is unbeleivable and serious news because this was the most sacred of Buffalos born to this nation and our people. If it was one of our own they have brought harm upon all of aour people and it killed for money then that is even more sick. I am sorry bu this was the most sacred of all the White Buffalo born, What I want to know is why they were not watched closer by the guardians of this sacred one. Great TEARS flow from my heart

This is such a sad day when people carry such an evil heart to commit a useless crime against a precious animal and its mother. I hope that they catch whomever committed this atrocious crime and they are punished to the extend of the law.
RIP Lightning Medicine Cloud and Buffalo Woman. I am sure your spirit will not rest until these people that took your life, are caught and dealt with.

"The buffalo being killed at that ranch and others, like those being born on a ranch in Bend, Oregon, are not natural white buffalo—as an expert told ICTMN in March, knowledge of genetics has allowed modern breeders to engineer white bison."
Excuse me...the white buffalo being raised in Bend, OR, are most certainly natural white buffalo!!! The first born, Miracle Moon, was DNA tested by three independent labs, and all reported that she was 100% American bison. Since she, and the others in her line, have only been bred to full-blood bison on premise, there are no 'engineered white bison' in this line.

Obviously someone was mad that the hunt was called off and decided that the animal should be killed.
Genetics is just science finding the two buffalo with the right genes to produce a white buffalo. It's still quite rare but if more people want to see more white buffalo there's nothing wrong with creating them this way.

I DEMAND that JUSTICE be served and the Perpetrators), be Found and Prosecuted to the Fullest Extent of the Law and this not be allowed to be Swept under the Political Carpet, as has been Past Practice when it comes to Native American Traditions and Beliefs. ~~ Geronimo (I will Follow this Closely)..

It took me awhile to process this one. Saying that I am "stunned" and/or "upset" is frankly, an understatement. I realize we live in a world of burgeoning atrocity and there will be another headline tomorrow that replaces this one. Heck, I even realize this headline will go unnoticed by many, and a few others may even ask "what is the big deal, it's only an animal".
To that question I can only say that this little one was much more than that, and then not. He was an ideal made manifest, a prophesy actually validated...he was put into our care and we collectively failed...horribly.
It's hard to witness this one. I understand the impact this will have on entire nations living in our country. The people will be ashamed, confused, and some will be hardened further against sharing with this increasing stream of sleepwalkers. We all lose. Even the individuals who committed this heinous deed. So please, be mindful. Our recovery and further process will be tested at each pass. We must remember this and pay honor to the little one who sacrificed himself. Yet again we are reminded we reside within the extreme swing-end of a polarized reality.

to ms. hash and all your people-- i am so very very sorry for your loss-- i have always tried to follow news of any of the births of the sacred white buffalo, wherever they have been born, and to see this happen is --really truly beyond words-- i will keep all of the family that was taken in prayer and agree that no spirit could rest until all are dealt with---

We will dance the Gourd Dance in Honor of our fallen brothers and sister at the Lakota Ranch. My prayers for peace is for all the Indian Nation to recover from the tragedy and loss. We were honored to have seen the arrival of our brother Lighting Medican Cloud. I will always have the spirit of the buffalo's great spirit in my heart. May God have mercy on the people who commited such a violent act, as it was not for protection or food they were after, but evil which begets evil. For those who live by the sword will die by the sword as we do reap what we sew.

Full extent of the law? Will that matter? A fine? A slap. This is an outrage. It's as bad as the hunters and the wolves that are being anialated at an amazing rate. Idaho wants them all gone. Both creatures are sacred to many Native people. What has happened? Where is our strength? Where is the world we dreamed would come, or was that just a dream. My heart is heavy and feels like it will never see light again. Rest small one. Your Mother and Father are with you. Peace to all during this very sad time.

This was a psychological operation designed to inflict as much collective emotional damage. Who ever did this, im guessing, were professionals. Also I dont trust groups like the Sheriff, FBI and DHS etc, as a matter of fact, I wouldnt rule them out as suspects and being connected and stonewalling in some way. This wasn't one person.

I am still concerned about this. Let us not forget about what happened to this darling special calf and mother. Someone out there knows or has an idea of who did this. Please find a way to tell us. It is not fair.